Bon Jovi Interested in Purchasing Buffalo Bills

By Ryan Womeldorf

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

In a headline I couldn’t make up even if I tried, famous musician Jon Bon Jovi is apparently interested in buying the Buffalo Bills.

Jason La Canfora, an NFL Insider for CBS, said, “Rock star Jon Bon Jovi is consumed with purchasing an NFL team, according to numerous sources with knowledge of the situation, and is among the parties positioning to purchase the Buffalo Bills when the team comes up for sale.”

That last bit is important for now as the team is currently not for sale and won’t be as long as owner Ralph Wilson, who is 95-years-old, is living. After that — and let’s face it: it won’t be long — it’s anyone’s guess.

Though La Canfora said that sources told him there’s little chance the Bills would leave Buffalo regardless of who the owner is, speculation has already run rampant that the team could move to Toronto.

Why Toronto? Because with as rich as Bon Jovi is he can’t do this all himself, and he’s suddenly found some friends north of the border. With the price-tag of the team supposedly reaching $1 billion (U.S.), a new NFL-specific stadium would likely double that cost.

Enter: Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. Corporations aren’t allowed to purchase NFL teams, but there is nothing forbidding them from funding the stadium.

“We can’t own a team (per NFL rules), but we do have more expertise on how to build (stadiums) than anyone,” CEO Tim Leiweke said. “MLSE can play a role. We’re not the lead here. Our job is to augment whatever group may come together.”

It’s also no coincidence that Bon Jovi and MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum – who’s stake in MLSE is worth more than $500 million – are old friends.

There are a lot of hoops to jump through and more than a few things that need to work out for Bon Jovi and his group, but it seems as though they will have the inside track once the team goes up for sale.

It is highly unlikely that the Bills move, but crazier things have happened.